Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Some physicochemical characteristics of raw milk of Anatolian buffaloes

This research was carried out to determine some constituents and properties of raw milk samples of Anatolian buffaloes. Raw milk samples were collected from the different areas of the Tokat province of Turkey and analyzed for density, acidity, urea, free fatty acids (FFA), citric acid, freezing point (FPD), and pH. Milk samples were collected in February, March, and April 2012. Results of the research showed that the averages of raw milk density, acidity, urea, free fatty acids, citric acid, freezing point degree, and pH were determined as 1029.66 g/cm3, 8.26 °SH, 0.047%, 4.78 mmol/10L, 0.13%, -0.56 °C, and 6.56, respectively. As a result, the effects of lactation number, calving age, village, herd, sampling time, and stage of lactation on the determined parameters were found to be statistically significant (P<0.01)

Carcass yield, non-carcass parts, internal organs and meat quality characteristics of Karayaka male lambs with different birth weight fed free-choice feeding

In order to investigate the changes in meat quality characteristics and some serum metabolites as well as carcass yield, non-carcass parts, internal organs of lambs as influenced by birth weight (BtW) and feeding system (FS), 28 Karayaka male lambs (150 days of age) obtained from four comparable groups that consisted of seven replicates according to a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement for 2 BtW (low, 4.1 ± 0.06 kg and high, 5.0 ± 0.09 kg) and 2 FS (total mixed ration, TMR and free choice feeding, FCF) were used. After weaning (90 days of age), lambs with low BtW and high BtW were fed individually a TMR ad libitum or fed on the same ingredients (FCF) as that of TMR. The TMR was consisted of 80% of a compound feed and 20% of roughage based on a dry matter basis (140 g crude protein and 10.7 ME MJ/kg). The carcass weight and yield of lambs were not affected by the BtW, FS and BtWxFS interaction. The slaughter body weight, cold carcass weight and yield of FCF-fed lambs were higher than those of TMR-fed animals. The pH45 and shear force of semitendinosus muscle decreased and increased by the FCF systems, respectively. These results showed that BtW of lambs did not affect the studied parameter and that feeding system created more differences in terms of some parameters due to the fact that the FCF lead to improvement in carcass and some meat quality traits. © 2017, Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. All rights reserved

Determination of calpastatin (CAST) gene polimorphism in some native sheep breeds reared in Turkey by PCR-RFLP method [Türkiye’de yetiştirilen bazı yerli koyun irklarında kalpastatin (CAST) geni polimorfizminin PCR-RFLP yöntemiyle belirlenmesi]

In this study, calpastatin (CAST) gene polimorphism was investigated in 7 native sheep breeds reared in Turkey by using PCR-RFLP method. The frequencies of M and N alleles of CAST gene in Kangal (n= 31), Awassi (n= 26), Güney Karaman (n= 23), Akkaraman (n= 21), Morkaraman (n= 34), Karayaka (n= 33), and Karakas (n= 22) sheep breeds were determined as 0.92-0.08, 0.59-0.41, 0.67-0.33, 0.69-0.31, 0.87-0.13, 0.86-0.14, 0.89-0.11 respectively. According to chi-square test, all the other populations were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, whereas Morkaraman, İvesi and Karayaka populations showed significant (P<0.05) deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the CAST gene. © Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi

Organic breeding in Sarda ewes: Utilization of the ram effect in an artificial insemination program

The current study assesses the ram effect as an alternative to conventional hormonal treatment for estrus synchronization prior to artificial insemination. Two groups of 50 anoestrus Sarda ewes were induced to ovulate with adult rams (RE group) or synchronized using intravaginal sponges impregnated with progestogen and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) (PRO group). Ewes in the RE group were isolated from rams for 6 weeks. After the isolation period, 5 vasectomized rams were introduced into the flock at a ratio of 1 ram/10 females (day 0) to induce estrus and ovulation. Ewes in both experimental groups were inseminated via the cervical route with fresh semen (400 million spermatozoa/0.25 ml) 24 h after the onset of estrus (day 15–24). The pregnancy rate, assessed by ultrasound 35 days after insemination, was 48.9% (24/49) and 43.47% (22/50) for sheep in RE and PRO groups respectively. Lambing rates were identical to pregnancy rates in both groups, while the prolificacy rate was 120% (59/49) and 130% (65/50) in RE and PRO groups respectively. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups. The data supports the conclusion that the ram effect can be used successfully to synchronize estrus in organic farming operations. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.Agricultural Research Development AgencyThe authors address their thanks to the Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia, Department of Animal Science (Agris-Sardegna, DIRPA) for financial support. At the same time the authors thank Dr. Debbie Gillette, veterinary pathologist for critical reading and english editing

The Effect of Birth Types on Growth Curve Parameters of Karayaka Lamb

This study focused on the comparison of the growth characteristics of single and twin birth lambs in Karayaka sheep which is an indigenous breed of the northern part of Turkey. Gompertz growth function was fitted to body weight age data of 81 lambs (39 males and 42 females) from birth to 10 months of age. Single birth lamb of both sexes showed lower asymptotic weight than the twin birth ones. There were a noticeable difference in the absolute growth rate between birth types before inflection point but decline after the inflection point was slower for twins than that for singles. Similarly, the decrease in relative growth rate was higher for singles than that for twins. The Gompertz model parameters showed similar trends for birth types in both sexes. The results indicated that the type of the birth should be taken into account besides the sex of the individuals, while working on biological modelling of sheep growth and subsequent genetic evaluations of the related traits